Pencil sharpener



March 1, 1966 'B 3,237,607

PENCIL SHARPENER Filed Nov. 9, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR PATRICK R. O'BRIEN BY )ggu9 March 1, 1966 P. R. O'BRlEN 3,237,607

PENCIL SHARPENER Filed Nov. 9, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR PATRICK R. O'BRIEN BY W ATTO EY Em A fi I I "F105 1 m fimw F United States Patent 3,237,607 PENCIL SHARPENER Patrick R. OBrien, 98 N. Turner St., Fairbanks, Alaska Filed Nov. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 409,767 4 Claims. (Cl. 1209) This invention relates to pencil sharpeners and it has reference more particularly to a pencil sharpener that is designed for desk or table top use, and wherein paired, rotatably mounted, cylindrical pencil sharpening cutters are supported by a mounting head for rotation on converging axes to receive the end of the pencil between them for sharpening and also to revolve bodily with the head about the pencil being sharpened incident to vertical reciprocal actuation of the associated cutters and their mounting head.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved pencil sharpener of the above stated character, that is so designed as to present an ornamental and attractive appearance; that requires little space for its support and use; which embodies novel features of design and construction that facilitates its use for a quick and satisfactory pencil sharpening operation. Furthermore, to provide a pencil sharpener that does not require it to be fixed to a support for satisfactory use.

Another object of the invention is to provide the device with a hollow base portion for reception of the shavings produced by the pencil sharpening, and from which hollow base the pencil sharpening elements of the device may be readily withdrawn for emptying the collected shavings therefrom.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details of construction of the various parts embodied therein and in their manner of assembly and mode of use, as well hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the present pencil sharpener.

FIG. 2 is a central vertical section of the device, and showing the manner of applying a pencil thereto for sharpening.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-section, taken on line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-section, taken on line 44 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of parts of the sharpener head turning shaft and its pawl.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present pencil sharpening device comprises a base member of circular, vase-like form with a flat bottom wall of substantial diameter adapted to rest firmly upon a supporting surface such as a desk or table top.

The base 10 is hollow and upwardly comically tapered. At its upper end, it terminates in a cylindrical neck portion 10x in which a tubular mounting sleeve 12 for the pencil sharpening elements is slidably fitted and keyed for vertical reciprocal action. A suitable keyed connection between neck 10x and sleeve 12 being designated at 13 in FIG. 4.

It is shown in FIG. 2, that the mounting sleeve 12 extends to the full length of neck portion 10x and also well above it and in its upper end portion has a shorter sleeve 14 of basket form fitted therein which contains the pencil sharpening cylinders and their mounting and driving means which will presently be described in detail.

Fixed rigidly to the bottom wall 10b of the base member 10 is a vertically disposed tubular housing 15 which has a diametrically enlarged lower end portion ice 15b over the lower end of which a closing disk 16 is welded; this disk, in turn, being spot welded to the base wall 10b to secure the coaxial relationship of the base 10 and housing 15. The diametrically reduced upper end portion of this housing, which has an elongated tubular bearing member 18 fitted and secured coaxially therein which, at its lower end is threaded onto a boss formed centrally on disk 16. Reciprocally contained in tubular bearing 18 is the lower end portion of a shaft 20 which extends to about medially of the ends of sleeve 12 and which at its upper end, is fixed in a bearing block or cross-head 20x which is mounted for rotation in the bottom or lower end portion of the basket sleeve 14 on antifriction ball bearings 21. The sleeve 14 is slidably inserted and removable from the upper end portion of sleeve 12 and has a threaded connection therewith, as at 22, to secure these two parts against relative longitudinal movement in the use of the device. It is also to be noted, by reference to FIG. 2, that a top end closing cap is threaded into the sleeve 14 and seated against the top end of sleeve 12. This cap serves as a hand rest to hold the device firm during the sharpening of a pencil. The pencil to be sharpened is inserted downwardly through a hole as formed centrally in the cap, thence through a hole 27 axially aligned therewith formed through a crosshead 28 which serves, in conjunction with the lower crosshead 20x to mount a pair of pencil sharpening cylinders 2929 between them on downwardly converging axes, as shown in FIG. 2.

It is to be observed that the two sharpening cylinders are of the usual kind formed with spiral cutters and are disposed symmetrically at opposite sides of the axial line of the sharpener head and its mounting shaft to form the pencil point. Each cylindrical sharpener or cutter 29-29 is mounted between the vertically spaced cross-heads 20x28 for axial rotation. Also it is to be understood that the two cylindrical sharpeners are mounted to revolve bodily about the pencil point as it is formed incident to the rotation of the head. This revolving of the head and the axial rotation of the cylinders is effected by the following means:

It is noted that the assembly, referred to as the sharpener head, contained within the sleeves 12 and 14, as in FIG. 2, comprises the two sharpening cylinders, their cross-head mountings and gearing as carried by crosshead Ztix at the upper end of shaft 26, is adapted to be actuated to its elevated position as in FIG. 2 by a coil spring 30 that is contained in the base 10 about the housing 15 and bearing upwardly against the base of basket sleeve 1 the upward movement of the sharpener head under this spring pressure being limited by the slidably keyed connection between neck 10x and sleeve 12 as shown in FIG. 4. When the sleeve 12 is pressed downwardly into neck 10x, the shaft 20 moves accordingly within the tubular guide bearing 18. This shaft has a continuous spiral groove formed therealong in which a tooth 41 that is formed at the upper end of a spring metal arm 42 that extends along and has its lower end fixed in a slot in the bearing 13, is received. Thus, as the shaft moves downwardly it is caused to be rotated. This rotation of the shaft 20 effects a like rotation of the cross heads 20x and 28 and the two pencil sharpening cylinders mounted thereby.

When pressure downwardly against cap 25 is removed, the spring 39 expands and lifts the sleeve 12 and sharpening member 29 to elevated position. With this lifting of parts, the pawl tooth is disengaged from the spiral groove by reason of its having a downwardly and outwardly sloping inside surface 45 as shown in FIG. 5. However, with the next downward movement of the shaft 20, the tooth will snap into the spiral groove and again effect the rotation of the shaft when it is actuated downwardly.

Fixed axially to the lower ends of the cylindrical sharpeners 2929 are small gears which travel in mesh with an internal ring gear 52 that is fixed concentrically in the lower end portion of basket sleeve 14. Thus with the downward reciprocal movements of the sleeve 12, and rotation of the sharpener head, the cutters 2929 will be caused to be rotated on their axes and also to revolve bodily about the axis of the pencil point being sharpened between them.

Shavings formed by the action of the revolving cutters 29-29 drop downwardly from the pencil point through openings 60 formed through the body of ring gear and openings 61 in the bottom wall of the sleeve 14 into the base 10. A protective enclosing sleeve or housing 66 is applied about spring and is attached at its upper end to basket 14. It moves up and down with the cutter head.

It is shown that anti-friction ball bearings 67 are applied between the cap and cross-head 28 to coact with those between cross-head 20 and bottom of sleeve 14 to overcome possible friction. Also, a resilient spring clip 70 is applied in cap 25 in alignment with the openings 26 and 27 to receive the pencil therethrough to hold it steady while being sharpened.

Assuming the device to be so constructed, its use is as follows:

The pencil to be sharpened, designated at p in FIG. 1, is inserted downwardly through the opening 26, clip 70 and hole 27 and engaged With the side of the two spiral cutters 2929. Then pressure is applied generally, by the hand that holds the pencil, downwardly against the cap 25 to cause sleeve 14 and the cutter carrying assembly to move downwardly in the housing 10. With this downward movement, the cutters are caused to rotate axially and also revolve bodily about the pencil by reason of the rotation of shaft 20 and the travel of the small gears in mesh with the ring gear. With a few rapid reciprocal movements of the cutter head or unit, the sharpening is effected.

It is to be pointed out that the reciprocal actuation of the cutter head is not through pressure applied to the pencil but rather is by that applied to cap 25 as the pencil is lightly held or pressed into position.

The removal of the cutter head from the base is simply and easily accomplished. It removes with it all the parts within the sleeve 12. Therefore, the dumping of sharpening shavings is easily and readily accomplished.

When the parts are re-assembled by projecting the lower portion of the sleeve 12 into the neck 10x of the base portion, the shaft 20 enters the tubular bearing 18 and the pawl tooth 41 snaps into the shaft groove 40. Then the keyed parts at 13 are interfitted and the device is again ready for use.

It is to be observed that the two cross-heads 20x and 28 are joined rigidly together by vertical connecting members as shown at '75 in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The device takes up little space on a desk top and can be placed in any position convenient to the user. It is ornamental, easy to use and satisfactory in its use.

What I claim as new is:

1. A pencil sharpener of the character described comprising a hollow, vase-like supporting base member with a cylindrical, vertically extended neck portion, a cylindrical sleeve slidably keyed in said neck portion for limited vertical reciprocal movement therein; said sleeve normally extending substantially above the upper end of said neck, a tubular guide bearing fixed vertically within said base member coaxially of said sleeve and neck, a basket-like housing secured within the upper end portion of said sleeve, a pencil sharpening head rotatably contained in said basket-like housing, a shaft rotatably contained in said supporting base with its lower end portion reciprocally fitted'in said tubular guide and fixed at its upper end to said pencil sharpening head for its rotation thereby; said shaft having a spiral groove formed lengthwise thereof, and outwardly yieldable pawl tooth contained in said guide bearing and coacting with said spiral groove to effect shaft rotation incident to its downward actuation in said tubular guide to effect rotation of said sharpening head, a cap applied to the top end of said sleeve and formed with a central opening for passage of a pencil therethrough to engage it with said sharpening head; said head being rotated by depression of said sleeve into the said neck portion of said base, and a spring confined under compression in said base and acting upwardly against said sleeve to return it to its upper limit of travel when downward pressure thereagainst its removed. 7

2. A pencil sharpener according to claim 1 wherein said pencil sharpening head is coaxially contained in said basket-like housing and in said sleeve and said housing is threaded into and is removable from said sleeve for withdrawal of the sharpening head and its actuating shaft from the hollow base member for the removal of shavings from said base member.

3. A pencil sharpener according to claim 1 wherein said pawl tooth is mounted in said guide hearing by an outwardly yieldable arm and said pawl is formed with a beveled camming surface on one side that acts against the shaft groove to displace the pawl from the shaft groove with upward travel of the shaft without rotation.

4. A pencil sharpener according to claim 1 wherein said basket-like housing is formed with bottom openings for discharge of sharpening shavings into the base end of said vase-like supporting base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 570,617 11/1896 Stough l20-96 954,812 4/1910 Kohnes 96 1,201,458 10/1916 Haley 120-96 1,494,988 5/1924 Boyd 120- 96 1,730,185 10/1929 Winters 12096 1,735,638 11/1929 Cohen 120-96 2,216,681 10/1940 Wallett 12096 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PENCIL SHARPENER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A HOLLOW, VASE-LIKE SUPPORTING BASE MEMBER WITH A CYLINDRICAL, VERTICALLY EXTENDED NECK PORTION, A CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE SLIDABLY KEYED IN SAID NECK PORTION FOR LIMITED VERTICAL RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT THEREIN; SAID SLEEVE NORMALLY EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE UPPER END OF SAID NECK, A TUBULAR GUIDE BEARING FIXED VERTICALLY WITHIN SAID BASE MEMBER COAXIALLY OF SAID SLEEVE AND NECK, A BASKET-LIKE HOUSING SECURED WITHIN THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID SLEEVE, A PENCIL SHARPENING HEAD ROTATABLY CONTAINED IN SAID BASKET-LIKE HOUSING, A SHAFT ROTATABLY CONTAINED IN SAID SUPPORTING BASE WITH ITS LOWER END PORTION RECIPROCALLY FITTED IN SAID TUBULAR GUIDE AND FIXED AT ITS UPPER END TO SAID PENCIL SHARPENING HEAD FOR ITS ROTATION THEREBY; SAID SHAFT HAVING A SPIRAL GROOVE FORMED LENGTHWISE THEREOF, AND OUTWARDLY YIELDABLE PAWL TOOTH CONTAINED IN SAID GUIDE BEARING AND COACTING WITH SAID SPIRAL GROOVE TO EFFECT SHAFT ROTATION INCIDENT TO ITS DOWNWARD ACTUATION IN SAID TUBULAR GUIDE TO EFFECT ROTATION OF SAID SHARPENING HEAD, A CAP APPLIED TO THE TOP END OF SAID SLEEVE AND FORMED WITH A CENTRAL OPENING FOR PASSAGE OF A PENCIL THERETHROUGH TO ENGAGE IT WITH SAID SHARPENING HEAD; SAID HEAD BEING ROTATED BY DEPRESSION OF SAID SLEEVE INTO THE SAID NECK PORTION OF SAID BASE, AND A SPRING CONFINED UNDER COMPRESSION IN SAID BASE AND ACTING UPWARDLY AGAINST SAID SLEEVE TO RETURN IT TO ITS UPPER LIMIT OF TRAVEL WHEN DOWNWARD PRESSURE THEREAGAINST ITS REMOVED. 